


A Chance

by mtb2



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Gen, Natasha Feels, Natasha Romanov Joins SHIELD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-27 05:30:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12074454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtb2/pseuds/mtb2
Summary: A one-shot of when Natasha Romanov joins SHIELD and how she adapts.





	A Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. I havent yet updated my other story due to the fact that my neighborhood was hit by hurricane Irma, and I did not have any electricity or internet. This story is just something that came to me and I wrote on my phone, so please forgive me for any mistakes, and feel free to point them out. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy.

Fear. It was such a strange and complex emotion. Natasha Romanov never allowed herself to feel fear, or she had been taught not to show it- a survival mechanism. This time, however, it was different. She wanted to change, she wanted to stop having to be tense and defensive every second of every day. She wanted to stop hurting people.  
She had noticed that she had a tail the second it grew on her. One of the agents had started following her a long time ago, but she decided to do nothing yet. She had been trained to neutralize threats, but he had not tried to neutralize her so she would return the favor. That did not mean, however, that she would simply ignore him. She observed him almost as much as he did her, and she was almost certain that he was aware of that- judging by his skills. He was agile and carried with him a bow and arrow, extremely unusual choice of weaponry. It was bizarre to think, why hadn't he taken the shot?  
In the days that followed, Natasha was sent in more than a couple of intense missions. She was told to kill many people, and her agent tail followed her closely to each one, without interfering, until the last one. She was supposed to kill a little girl. The agent burst into the room and ran to the girl, barely glancing at her. That was a shock. She was the threat in the room, he should be trying to kill her, but he didn't. She saw him help the girl up, all the while keeping a watchful eye on her, it made her feel guilty, which was a feeling that settled strangely in her stomach. Why?  
She was much more skilled than he could ever hope to be, yet he was much more powerful. He was good. He was using his skills of his own choice to do good. It was visible in his eyes, the passion, the compassion.  
That is where our story begins. When the Black Widow was filled with fear because she knew that this man was sent there to kill her- and he might just do it now that she had harmed an innocent. She could defend herself of course, but why do it? Only to return to her life of servitude to the Red Room?  
They stared at each other for a moment and Natasha felt the fear surge from every part of her body and soul- fully consuming her. Would he kill her? Would she let him?  
After securing the safety of the girl, he handcuffed her and she dared not move. She saw a flicker of hope in the horizon. He would take her with him, as a prisoner, but maybe, just maybe, his compassion would extend to her, maybe she could reach a new shore of freedom and start her life anew.  
She did not utter a word the entire way to the airport, or through the flight. The plane landed in what appeared to be a private facility that was buzzing with people. About ten agents ran towards the plane, and they held her arms to drag her out, but her previous companion stopped them and said that he could handle her. It offended her- the fact that he thought he could handle her, but she owed him her life, so she decided to follow his lead.  
The agent grabbed her arm and moved her firmly but in a way that was not cruel, not like the bunch who had tried to grab her earlier. He walked with her inside the building and everyone stared at her wearily. It made her feel afraid again. She was in enemy territory, not defending herself, but willing to obey just for a slim chance of freedom. They walked up to another agent, who was wearing a black patch over his eye.  
"Barton what the hell?"  
My companion- Barton- tensed slightly.  
"Sir I a can explain."  
The man with the eyepatch looked at me sternly and I let his eyes lock with mine.  
"What can you offer us?"  
"My skills" I said immediately. I would be willing to give them my skills, information, anything, if they could grant me my freedom from the Red Room.  
There was complex machinery and computers everywhere, if they wanted to, they could give me a new identity, make me disappear, if they did that, I was willing to fight for them, to be one of the good guys. It sounded bizarre, yet appealing in a strange way.  
"Take her to the interrogation room. Barton come with me!"  
A couple of agent roughly shoved me into a room, and I stayed there as agent after agent came to interrogate me.  
With all of them, I forced myself to speak as truthfully as possible. I told them that I would fight for them, and the conditions that were necessary for me to honor that deal. I was fed in the afternoon, and in the morning the next day, and, in that same manner, two more days passed.  
On the third day, the man with the eye patch (whom I had been told, was the director of shield, Nick Fury) walked into the interrogation room. I kept my head up and looked him straight in the eyes in a defiant way, but, when I spoke, tried to be as respectful as possible.  
"All of my best agents have tried to interrogate you, and they can't decide whether you are lying or telling the truth"  
"I am telling the truth sir."  
"Alright. Listen carefully to me then and answer my questions without any bullshit"  
I nodded.  
"Why did you not try to kill my agent when he handcuffed you? I know you could beat him if you tried."  
"I don't know"  
He looked at me for a moment, his eyes so piercing that they made me feel exposed, and his expression completely unreadable.  
"What do you expect to gain from being here?"  
"My freedom"  
"Your freedom?"  
"I want to be free from the Red Room, I would rather not work for them anymore."  
"If I help you free yourself from the Red Room, and if I decide not to have you executed, then you would be working for me. Would you rather that?"  
"Yes"  
"You would be subjected to the rules of SHIELD. If you want to be one of my agents then you would have to earn that post."  
"I am willing to do that sir"  
Throughout the conversation I felt my previous resolution weaken and strengthen in turns. I felt humiliated. I hated following rules, though I had been subjected to them my entire life, but, in the end, I decided to give Nick Fury a try. He was a stern man, he did not act gently towards me, but that was expected. He was not being a hypocrite, that made me trust him to a certain extent, and it made me respect him.  
"You will begin training tomorrow"  
"Training sir?"  
"All of my agents undergo training before their first mission, and, as I said before, you will not be exempt from any rule."  
"Yes sir" I said, this time with a little mockery.  
"One more thing. You will learn, if you last long enough with me, that, in SHIELD, trust is earned, and that it is a very precious thing."  
With those words, he cuffed my hands together and escorted me to a holding cell.  
I was puzzled by this, but soon came to understand, after analyzing his previous words "trust is earned". Director Nick Fury would give me a chance, but he would put me through hell first, he would test me every step of the way, but, I decided, that would be okay.  
"Before I go, any questions?"  
I did not know what to ask, but it seemed unwise to pass up the opportunity.  
"The agent that brought me here, agent Barton, is he... is he well?"  
My question made the right corner of his lip rise up slightly.  
"In what sense do you mean?"  
"He disobeyed your orders. You sent him to kill me."  
"Yes I did"  
"Is he well?"  
He understood, from the first time I asked, what I was trying to imply, yet he refused to answer and I refused to ask directly.  
"He is well."  
The director shut closed the door of my cell and began to walk away.  
"Agent Barton disobeyed a direct order, and I don't take kindly to that, but he is my agent.... and this is not the Red Room."  
He let his words hang in the air for a minute, and then he left.  
I understood him, of course, and I respected him for those words more than anything else. I had not spoken with Director Fury for more than two hours in total since my arrival at SHIELD, but he had left his impression upon me. The impression of a man that I should respect and obey during my time here, a man who would not be gentle towards me at all, but a man that I could rely on, and that brought me comfort.  
During two weeks, I had breakfast in my cell, was escorted to the gym to train, then to the cafeteria for lunch, and back to my cell, until the next morning. Dinner was given to me in the cell, and I was given nothing else to occupy myself with during the time I was there.  
I did not see Director Fury during that time, or agent Barton, but I knew that the Director was being reported of my every step, and that he would analyze everything closely, so I behaved. I was never left alone, always escorted by an agent, and during lunch, that agent would sit with me and look at me threateningly every time I moved. He never gave me his name, nor did I ask, he was not the one I had to please.  
That afternoon, the day unfolded slightly differently from the rest. During lunch, I caught the eye of another agent, whom I immediately recognized. Agent Barton grinned upon seeing me, and, for some strange reason, that made me feel proud and glad. He approached the table I was occupying , and glanced at the other agent before sitting down.  
"Ward I'll watch her, you can go"  
"Fury said to not let her out of my sight. Im not moving."  
Barton sighed, but then turned to me and smiled again.  
"How is everything?"  
I nodded, indicating that it was well, not knowing how else to answer. I was not used to small talk.  
"Fury seems happy with your training. I think he might give you a mission soon."  
Ward looked between the two of us, seemingly puzzled, but Barton ignored him, and I followed his lead. It was starting to bother me how easily that came to me. I was not used to following anyone's lead, nor would I, not with anyone, but both Fury and Barton (though in very different ways) had something that made me trust their judgment. After some other lighthearted comments he began to stand up.  
"Well, I have to go, I just got back from another mission and Fury is expecting me in his office to report. I don't want this meeting to be a repeat of last time, and I think I already got on his bad side."  
He grinned widely and began to walk away, apparently unbothered by the fact that our short conversation that been completely one sided.  
"Thank you agent Barton"  
He turned his head to look at me.  
"Clint. You can call me Clint, and you owe me." He smiled again, and walked away.  
I felt my lips slightly turn upwards at his words. He was different. Different from most people I knew, him and Fury both.  
He had mentioned his previous meeting with his director, and that made me think he had probably been the target of Fury's anger for letting me live, but, I am sure, Fury did nothing more than yell, and that was okay.  
I was their prisoner, and I was aware of that, but I had the chance of becoming something more. I had the chance of earning their trust and become an agent of SHIELD, and fighting for the good guys. I had a chance at friendship, and that was good enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Please review :)


End file.
